Deontae Lawson, Jaylen Key injury update: Latest from Nick Saban on Monday
The Monday before the Kentucky game, Nick Saban provided an injury update on Deontae Lawson and Jaylen Key, two Alabama football starting defenders.
Saban said he would classify the two players as questionable and day-to-day as the Crimson Tide heads into practice this week.
"Both guys have injuries that are day-to-day in terms of what they're able to do," Saban said. "It's not just a matter of whether they would be ready to play in the game but can they practice enough to be ready to play in the game? So that's going to be day-to-day. Both guys I would have to say if you have to say would be questionable because it is questionable. I don't know what they're going to be able to do."
No. 8 Alabama (8-1, 6-0 SEC) will face Kentucky (6-3, 3-3) on Saturday (11 a.m, ESPN) at Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky.
Key, a starter at safety, left the game against LSU in the first half. Lawson exited the game in the second half.
Saban said after the game one had a quad injury and the other had an ankle injury.
Key was injured when he broke up a deep pass in the first half. He walked off the field under his own power, but he had to go to the medical tent. After six minutes inside it, Key went to the locker room with the training staff. When he returned to the field in the second half, he was in a sweatshirt and sweatpants.
Lawson was seen walking off the field postgame with a medical boot on his left foot. He was also in sweats at that point in the game.
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Both have been starters throughout the season. Key has played in all nine games and Lawson has played in eight. They're first and second on the team in tackles. Lawson has 52 total tackles and Key has tallied 46.
Without Key, Kristian Story and Trey Amos saw more time. Without Lawson, Trez Marshall and Jihaad Campbell were the two inside linebackers.
Nick Saban provides injury update on Ja'Corey Brooks, DeVonta Smith
Saban said Brooks got his shoulder banged up in the LSU game. Meanwhile, Saban said defensive back DeVonta Smith has done some dry-land running and that he is getting closer to being available. Smith hasn't played yet this season because of an injury.
Nick Kelly covers Alabama football and men's basketball for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at nkelly@gannett.com or follow him @_NickKelly on X, the social media app formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Deontae Lawson, Jaylen Key injury update: Nick Saban updates status
